Article of luggage



Feb. 27, 1945. RUSSELL 2,370,492

7 ARTICLE OF LUGGAGE Filed April 8, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 27, 1945. RUSSELL ARTICLE OF LUGGAGE Filed April 8, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR.

44M K4444, A/MW,

Patented Feb. 27, 1945 s PATENT OFFICE ARTICLE OF LUGGAGE Dorothy A. Russell, New'York, N. Y. Application April 8, 1943, Serial No. 482,251 7 3 Claims.

end thereof for hanging the case on the wall.,

At the same end of the case, there are provided means for removably supporting a plurality of garment hangers which receive and support the body garments such as suits and overcoats. The

body garments may be inserted within the case while thus hanging on the wall, or it may be opened flat on a horizontal surface and the garments inserted and properly smoothed out before the case is closed.

One particularly novel feature in the present invention resides in the provision of a removable cover section for the inner surface of the case. I'he case has theusual end walls or gussets, and opposed, upper longitudinal marginal walls when the case is open, the inner edges of these latter walls and the opposed marginal edges of the slidable cover section having complemental male and female portions forming slideways. This provides, when the cover section is closed, a'dustproof, substantially water-proof case for the garments, and a further novel feature, in one em-' bodiment of the invention, resides in the provision of the handle elements at opposite ends of this elongated inner cover section. This arrangement gives the bag a better sense of balance than the usual run of bags.

The improved article of luggage of the present invention is substantially frameless in the sense Qil that metal frames, plywood side and end walls,

and the like, are eliminated. The improved carrying case ha only enough framework to preserve the general contour of the bag when the same is fully or even partially packed, without, however, adding any measure of weight. In this connection, the luggage-carrying device is partic- I ularly useful for members of the air force who are required to travel with a minimum weight. Accordingly, another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a case which, while substantially flexible in character, nevertheless retains its shape even when only partially packed,

and preserves the original condition of the earments inserted thereinto even after a considerable time of travel.

Yet another important object of the present invention resides in the provision of a novel garment-carrying case which, when not in use for carrying purposes, may serve as a small portable wardrobe closet. In this connection, the case when lying flat and in fully extended position has upper and lower walls of the same length and other dimensions, and side and end-walls of sufficient depth to accommodate a number of body garments, and perhaps a heavy overcoat. upper Wall, which becomes the outer wall when the entire structure is hung as from a hook on the wall, comprises relatively narrow, longitudinally-disposed fixed sections secured along opposite sides of the bag. The removable cover section is supported along the opposed inner marginal edges of-these fixed sections by a novel slideway arrangement comprising substantially G shaped trackways, and'complemental beaded edges which are received within the trackways. This construction is such as to permit the slidable cover to be moved into and outof covering relationship with almost the same ease as a window shade is moved up and down.

Another important object of the present inven- [tion resides in the provision of a bag of a generally device is the slide itself which converts an otherwise substantially non-rigid bag into a fairly rigid one, without, however, increasing the Weight materially.

Other novel features of the present invention will be hereinafter pointed out, or will become apparent as the specification proceeds.

' In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention, the view showing the article of luggage in closed position.

, Fig. 2 is also a perspective view showing the article in open position.

Fig. 3 isa broken section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 4 is a broken section taken on line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a broken section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 shows a plan view of a modified form the invention in open position. I v

This

of the luggage-carrying device of the present invention is formed with a lower wall 10, which may comprise one continuous piece of substantially flexible material, such piece forming the outer side walls of the case when in the closed position shown in Fig. 1. For convenience in description, the several walls will be .namedin.

accordance with the position they occupy when the case is in the open position. Thus, the :Case further includes side walls .H .and opposed :end walls 12 and I3, respectively. ,iliinally, :the main body section includes opposed upper walls I 4 which .are relatively narrow, and which extend the :full length of the ease. The foregoing walls may .be all :formed from .any suitable material, preferably of a flexible character, which may ;in- .clude waterproof fabric, leather, .or .any other material generally used for the purpose. several walls-are joined together salong their-man- End wall 12 maybe reinforced ibya rigid strip or panel 11, and another rigid panel .18 ofssimilar size is spaced from panel I by means of side wall elements 19, thus forming a generally rectangular confined area which may be used for carrying shoes and other similar articles. At the opposite end of the case, end wall l3 may be reinforced by a rigid strip or panel '20 similar to panel "H, and these several panels may be secured within the case'by any means known in the luggage art. Top walls M are of special construction in that along their inner marginal edges, generally '0 shaped channel elements or 'slideways 22 are formed. Each slideway may include a tube 23 formed with a longitudinal'slot, and in the construction shown in Fig. 4, the inner marginal edge of wall l4 covers both the outside and the inside of the tube.

The tube may be made from any suitable material, such as metal, fiber, plastic, .or otherwise, and if the construction of Fig. 4 .is to be used, the material forming the inner marginal edge of upper wall I may be simply cemented or otherwise adhesively secured to such tube. The tube 23 .on each side of the case is made in .three sections, two longer sections which occupy agenerally vertical position when the case is closed, and an intermediate short section, which in the relation shown in Fig. 1 is at .the lower end of the closed case. The .approximateposition of the break in the sections is shown in broken lines in Fig. ,2. A slidable cover member 25 may be formed from a single continuous strip of flexible material provided with beading 26 along. its ope posed longitudinal edges. This beading maybe formed in the usual manner by turning in the marginal edges of the material and inserting a =c,0. d .or wirein the overlapped portion, and then stitching such portion to the main body of the material, as shown at 21in Fig. 4. Each end of the cover section 2,5 may he ,reiniorced'rby .a trans- The ,ginal edges .as by stitching is, .thus forming a I generally :box-like structure.

verse strip 28, and handle elements 30 are secured at such terminals. At one end of the case, prelerably at the end defined by wall l3, a flexible strip 3| is so secured as to form a plurality of loops for supporting garment hangers (not shown).

When it is desired to pack the case, the body garments, including suits, overcoats, and the like (not shown), are mounted on hangers, and such garments ..then .placed ..in the open .case, which then occupies the position shown in Fig. 2. Shoes and other articles may be placed in the lower compartment, and the slidable cover then inserted along its opposed marginal beaded edges Iinslideways 22, and the cover moved to the position.shown in Fig. 2. The case may then be "folded, and a hinged flap 33, having an extension rportionfi luiolded over the top of the case. Portion 33 is provided with an opening 36 to permit handle elements 30 to pass therethrough. Flap :33 ;may:.also have end-wa1ls3-l.

The construction-of .the :case illustratedfin Figs. 6-12, inclusive, differs from, that shown in .Figs. .l;5*in .anumber of'respects, and'forrcertain purposes might be preferable. stance, "the case includes .a .lower wall 42, opposed end walls 4.3 and 44, opposed side walls 45, :.and narrow, longitudinally-disposed top wall sections 4-6. Thermarginal edges of these several .wallsare joined together, as by means of stitching 41. .A shoe compartment, 49 is provided adjacent to end wall .43 :andxmay include a pluralityo'f stiff reinforcing elements or panels 50, 51, 52 and 53. "The opposite end .softhe case may also be rein- ;forced :by means .ofstifiening elements 5t, 57 and 58, :all of awhich are'suitably secured adjacent to end wall and the terminal of lower wall 42 and upper walls 46. In this instance, the handle elements .6!) and 761 are suitablysecured to stiffening elements 53 and 58, respectively, rather than to the slidable .cover, as in the first embodiment. There isthus provided a rela'tivelylarg elongated compartment 63 for body garments, and at one end thereof, a post 64 supports the hangers (not shown) for such bod garments.

The slidable coversection 38 i likewise formed with the beading '69 along its opposed "marginal edges. The core it may b made .from fiexible cord, from wire, or from any other suitable material, and the terminals of this core may be stiffened, as by a'dowel l, shown in Fig. 11. This stiffened end section aids in causing the cover section to slide more freely in its supporting -'C shaped channels, which will now be described.

These channels 12 may again be formed from tubular member 1'13 having slot '14 therein, shown particularly in Fig. .9, and the inner marginal edges of the top sections 46 may cover both the outside and the inside of each tube. One method of mounting the outer terminals of each tube is shown particularly in Figs. 9 and '10. Frame member 5 8 .isformed with a slot 16,thus leaving "a narrow connectingpiece Tl. Tube '13 is bifurcated at :its end, as shown at it, the narrowconnecting piece i! being received. within the bifurcated portion, as shown in Fig. 1'0, and secured therein. The covering material covers both the cross p'ieoe 58 and the tube-as wellias'forming, as it does. the upper wall sections as. 'I'histube is again made in three sections, two of which extend along th'es de walls of the case when closed, and a shorter section connects these longer sections.

In order to preserve the flexibility :of the case, however, there .is preferably :a slight space between theiabutting sections, as shown particularly Again, in this inslidable cover section maylikewise be strengthened, as by transverse cross-pieces 84, shown in Fig. 7. Full tabs =88 at opposite ends of the cover section aid in moving this section into and out of covering position. The presence of the dowel H or other stiffening elements at one or both ends of the slidable cover section greatly aid in permitting the rapid closing and opening operation,

and this operation is further facilitated by ma nipulating the cover section if the entire case is hanging Vertically, as by a hook on the wall which supports upper handle member 6|. When in this hangin position, the alignment of the several shaped trackways is preserved more effectively than is the case when the article is lying flat on a horizontal surface. f f

The case may b maintained incarrying position by one or more straps 98 and cooperating buckles 9 l The case may furtherbe modified by providing a handle structure 92 on the outer surface of the intermediate portion which now becomes the top wall rather than the bottom wall, as in Fig. 6. This embodiment 930i Fig. 12 may furth r have an external pocket 94 for carrying accessories. The positioning of such pockets is, of course, a matter of choice, and one or more of these pockets may be disposed on the slidable cover section as well.

It will be appreciated that many changes and modifications may be made in connection with the several forms of the invention herein disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims. In other words, various details of construction illustrated in Figs. 6-11, inclusive, may be embodied in a case of the general character disclosed in Figs. 1-5, and vice versa, it being understood that the case shown in Figs. 6-11 is not, strictly speaking, a separate embodiment of the invention, but merely illustrates alternate constructions of certain parts of the case which may be dictated by considerations of material, articles to be carried, and the like. For instance, flaps 33 and 3d of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 may be used in connection with the case illustrated in Fig. 6, and likewise, the arrangement of the slidable cover section and its supporting elements,

shown in Fig. 6, may be used inconnection with" the first form of the invention.

The longitudinal channel 82 in cross-piece 58,

which receives one terminal portion of the slid- .is seated in' recess 82.

cross-piece 53 when the opposite endof the cover The cover may then be pushed in the direction of its opposite end suinciently to get beyond this edge and thus drop into the recess in cross-piece '52, thus providing substantially the same water-tight arrangement at each end of the case.

The structural details of the present invention I have been discussed and illustrated only in connection with an article of luggage for carrying body garments. It will be appreciated, however, that the sliding cover structure may also be used in connection with other forms of containers and article-carrying devices such as hand bags, overnight cases, brief cases, and the like.

What I claim is:

1. A garment-carrying case comprising an elongated, generally rectangular body section adapted to be folded along a transverse median line, and means for retaining the case in such folded position, the body section including upper and lower walls, and side and end Walls, the upper Wall comprising longitudinal opposed'sections on wall comprising longitudinal opposed sections on each side of the case and being formed with trackways of substantially c shaped contour, the trackways being formed in a plurality of substantially abutting sections adapted to be aligned when the case is in extended position, and a closure slide formed with opposed beaded edges adapted to be received in the trackways in slidable relation to close. the case after the garments have been inserted therein, at least one terminal of such beaded edges being formed with a stifiened section to aid in moving the' slide into closed position.

3. A garment-carrying case comprising an elongated, generally rectangular body section adapted to be folded along a transverse median line when carried, and to be laid fiat in extended position when being packed and unpacked, the body section including upper and lower walls, and side and end walls, all of substantially flexible material and forming a garment-carrying section, the upper wall comprising longitudinally opposed sections on each side of the case and being formed with trackways of substantially C shaped contour, a closure slide formed with opposed beaded edges adapted to be received in the trackways in slidable relation to close the case after the garments have been inserted therein, transverse strengthening elements disposed at opposite ends of the case, and a garment hanger support secured at one end of the garment-carrying section.

DOROTHY A. RUSSELL. 

